Capacity and productivity modeling for research laboratories using a representative product load

Author:

Kuhl, Michael; Ramamurthl, Vikram; Hirschman, Karl; Laubisch, Gregory

Abstract:

Efficient use of R&D laboratory resources including fabrication
and metrology tools, analytical equipment, and operators
and technicians is critical to product development,
time to market, and ultimately company success. Capacity
and productivity modeling in R&D fabs presents significant
challenges and is not usually well understood. Simulation
modeling can provide an accurate representation of the
R&D fab that can be used to investigate the operational
aspects of the fab and provide a quantitative statistical
analysis of Jab performance measures. A simulation study
of the Semiconductor & Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory
(SMFL) al the Rochester Institute of Technology (RlT)
is used to present a case study on this methodology. A
baseline CMOS process is used as the representative product
load, which accounts for the variety of research activities
in progress in the SMFL. The fab performance is assessed
by the cycle time, WIP, and throughput of
representative load lots.